Eleutheroi (Italy
Gaemile Liguriae (Ligurian Infantry) The Ligurians, when driven from the Po Basin, almost entirely adopted the weapons of their Celtic enemies. In this manner, they were somewhat 'Celticized', but not in such a total manner as to call them Celtic. The Gaemile (Guy-my-el; Spear Soldiers) formed their basic foot soldiers. They are well-trained, capable soldiers, with mediterranean sophistications, but a Celtic war mind, and is likely to be favored by either group. They inhale the smoke of a burning incense made from a plant of unknown origin before battle, and it provided them with a type of calm that kept them from fleeing battle as quickly. They carry both a spear and shortsword, and are quite light, but very capable line warriors, and their large shields, and their helmets, provide them with ample protection in most cases. Properly supported, the Ligurians can be used to hold a line from an enemy attack, and are a fine choice for the defense of a position, and can be used as shock troops in a pinch. Historically, the Ligurians origins were unknown. They are somewhat of a mystery people, like the Basque. Despite their disasterous driving out from the Po Basin, they managed to reestablish themselves. Armed with Celtic weaponry, they held off further Celtic incursion, and possibly worked with Celts from time to time, and certainly did later on, such as the joint sacking of Placentia in 200 BC. Their population was somewhat small, but notable. They came largely to an end in 181 BC, when consul Lucius Emilius Paulus massacred 15,000 of them, and deported 40,000 of the Apuan-Ligurian tribe to Campania. The remaining Ligurians migrated into Celtic territories, and worked for decades as Liguriae; retainers of the Ligurian culture, under Celtic kings. As such, some 'Celtic' statues in modern France depict robed Ligurian warriors, sometimes wearing Celtic chain, but wearing the very distinctly non-Celtic Ligurian peasant-warrior robes under it. Liguriae Epos (Ligurian Cavalry) The Ligurians, when driven from the Po Basin, almost entirely adopted the weapons of their Celtic enemies. In this manner, they were somewhat 'Celticized', but not in such a total manner as to call them Celtic. These Epos (ep-os; 'Horse') formed their cavalry. They are well-trained, capable soldiers, with mediterranean sophistications, but a Celtic war mind, and is likely to be favored by either group. They carry both a spear and Celtic javelins, and are quite light, but very capable cavalry, though a bit unusual. Their swiftness is best accompanying hit-and-run tactics from range, or to launch swift charges and withdraw. Ligurian cavalry is efficient and decently-trained to overcome numerous obstacles, though is too light for prolonged melee engagements. Historically, the Ligurians origins were unknown. They are somewhat of a mystery people, like the Basque. Despite their disasterous driving out from the Po Basin, they managed to reestablish themselves. Armed with Celtic weaponry, they held off further Celtic incursion, and possibly worked with Celts from time to time, and certainly did later on, such as the joint sacking of Placentia in 200 BC. Their population was somewhat small, but notable. They came largely to an end in 181 BC, when consul Lucius Emilius Paulus massacred 15,000 of them, and deported 40,000 of the Apuan-Ligurian tribe to Campania. The remaining Ligurians migrated into Celtic territories, and worked for decades as Liguriae; retainers of the Ligurian culture, under Celtic kings. As such, some 'Celtic' statues in modern France depict robed Ligurian warriors, sometimes wearing Celtic chain, but wearing the very distinctly non-Celtic Ligurian peasant-warrior robes under it. Aichmetai Leukanoi (Lucanian Light Infantry) Aichmetai Leukanoi are deployed and used as most javelin-equipped skirmishers. They run forward to pepper an enemy with javelins, and then withdraw before a counter-attack can be organised. Their job is to screen the main force of the army, and harass the enemy with a shower of javelins to disrupt their formation, so the more heavier infantry can engage with better odds. The Aichmetai Leukanoi are equipped with javelins, a knife and nothing more. Their speed is their best and only armour. Any wise general should thus try to keep them unexposed to enemy cavalry, as in melee the light infantry will quickly rout. Historically, the Leukanoi occupied the province of Calabria in the 4th century B.C, except for the Greek coastal colonies. They were either at war or allied with their neighbours throughout their history. They allied themselves with Pyrrhos of Epeiros when he invaded, and although defeated and subjugated by Romans after the Pyrrhic War, they joined Hannibal during the Second Punic War and raised an army of 20.000 men to fight for him. After the war ended, the Leukanoi were defeated again, and their homeland and population was devastated. The Social War in 91-88 B.C saw the end of them as a people. Hastati Samnitici (Samnite Medium Spearmen) The Samnites come from the Apennine highlands of central and southern Italy. They have a military tradition as old as Rome itself. They were an expansionistic people until they were forcibly put down, for the last time in the 290’s BC. Their flexible formations were ideal to fight in rough terrain and the Romans eventually copied and improved them after having felt their effectiveness first-hand. These Samnite Spearmen are dependable medium infantry carrying light javelins that they throw before an ensuing melee with their spears. They are well armored with bronze breastplates and helms and have a single greave on their left leg (the leg most vulnerable in hand to hand combat). Although not a shock unit as their swordsmen counterpart, they are well trained, fast and reliable spearmen. They are not capable of standing up to professional heavy infantry, but their spears, bronze breastplates and large shields make them suited to fighting against quite a few infantry and light and medium cavalry types. Historically the Samnites were one of the most rebellious Italian peoples and joined up with Rome’s enemies on a regular basis. They fought with Pyrrus in the 290’s, rose up in rebellion during the first Punic War, and fought alongside Hannibal in the second Punic War. They rose a final time during the Italian Social Wars, and were incorporated into the Roman state by receiving Roman citizenship. They still fought with their distinctive bronze belts until the middle empire, and even then legions from Samnium still had the national symbol of their former country on their shields. Samnitici Milites (Samnite Heavy Infantry) The Samnites come from the Apennine highlands of central and southern Italy. They have a military tradition as old as Rome itself. They were an expansionistic people until they were forcibly put down, for the last time in the 290’s BC. They have a fine tradition of fast heavy infantry that is very different from the Romans and from their southern Italian neighbors. Their infantry carries lighter javelins (and consequently more of them) and is armed with the Greek Kopis, a slashing sword that is very powerful and can be used against armor due to its shape (and is much like the Iberian Falcata). These Samnites are well armored with bronze breastplates, helms, greaves, and a round argive shield. Although not as disciplined as Roman infantry, they are trained to a high degree and make up for their indiscipline with their fighting style and fierce hatred of their Roman foe. Some Samnite tribes have broken with their brothers in Samnium and now work for the Romans. Others long for the day when an enemy of Rome will come to Italy so that they can flock to the fight against their hated foes… Historically the Samnites were one of the most rebellious Italian peoples and joined up with Rome’s enemies on a regular basis. They fought with Pyrrus in the 290’s, rose up in rebellion during the first Punic War, and fought alongside Hannibal in the second Punic War. They rose a final time during the Italian Social Wars, and were incorporated into the Roman state by receiving Roman citizenship. They still fought with their distinctive bronze belts until the middle empire, and even then legions from Samnium still had the national symbol of their former country on their shields. Pezoi Brettioi (Bruttian Infantry) The Bruttii come from the southern extremity of Italy. The Bruttians have risen to become a powerful nation, though they were for many years subjects of the Lucanians. The name of Bruttii was given by the Lucanians themselves, and signified in their language fugitive slaves or rebels. The Bruttians derived an alternate etymology, tracing their people to a famous eponymous ancestor: Bruttus, son of Hercules and Valentia. These Bruttian Infantry are dependable medium infantry. They carry two pila which they throw before an engaging in close melee with their swords. They are well armored with a variety of bronze pectorales and armored belts, typical of the Oscan warrior class. Their helmets show Greek and Italian influence, the type of which is now known as Italo-Attic. They are an excellent melee infantry capable of developing different roles thanks to their good equipment and courage in battle. Historically, the Bruttians were great warriors. They defeated Alexander, king of Epirus in 326 BC. Alexander had crossed over into Italy to help the Greek cities there, and enjoyed a successful campaign until his army was defeated and he was killed in a battle near Pandosia against the combined forces of the Lucanians and Bruttians. The Bruttians, like other Oscan tribes, found frequent service in the armies of the enemies of Rome. They fought for Pyrrhus, and fought alongside Hannibal in the Second Punic War. The Bruttians even followed Hannibal when he made his retreat from Italy and formed the majority of Hannibal veterans in the Battle of Zama. The Romans never forgave the Bruttians for their hearty service to the Carthaginian cause. After the Second Punic War was over, the Romans punished and humiliated the Bruttians, depriving them of a great part of their territory, and reduced the Bruttians to little more than a servile state. They were no longer used as allies in the Roman army, and could only find public service as couriers and in other menial positions at the service of Roman magistrates. Equites Campanici (Campanian Cavalry) Equites Campanici are renowned as the greatest shock horsemen in Italy, with the Samnites their only true rivals. They ride stout, if small, war horses and are well trained. They are famed for their tactic of charging, retreating, and charging home again, engaging in melee only when they fight small groups of isolated enemies. These men wear bronze armor, have stout greaves, and good heavy spears with which to perform their deadly efficient work. Historically, Campania was ever a rich region in Italy. Blessed with a fair amount of flat terrain, the horse farms of the nobility provided a steady stream of cavalry with which to protect the capital, Capua. Their final demise happened during the Second Punic War, when Rome took the city after it had gone over to the Carthaginians. Its male population were put to the sword or sold into slavery, ending the great tradition of cavalry. Hippeis Tarantinoi (Tarantine Elite Cavalry) Hippeis Tarantinoi are a superb elite cavalry that long ago made their home city of Taras, on the southern coast of Italia, famous for its own modest equestrian tradition. They wear light, high quality linen armor and charge into combat with a curved kopis blade and several javelins to weaken enemies for their charge or sustained melee fighting. In appearance and style they are a distinct, traditional Hellenic light cavalry, but fight with far more skill then their less recognizable predecessors from Hellas itself. As a force, they can be relied upon in any situation to perform as missile cavalry or as melee troops, providing that they do not get bogged down in the thick of battle. Historically, the Hippeis Tarantinoi were the elite cavalry force of Taras, an old foundation of Sparte on the southern coast of Italia. They were fairly unique among the various cavalries produced in the Hellenic tradition, as outside of the successors of Megas Alexandros, most such states were never recognized for the maintainance of an effective cavalry force - outside of Thessalonika. With them to form an effective compliment to their less impressive citizen infantry, Taras and the cities and Hellenes under its authority were able to hold the Leukanoi and Bruttiai at bay for many years, and were eventually used to some effect in the Epeirote army fashioned by Pyrrhos. Syrakosioi Hoplitai (Syracusan Hoplites) These men hail from one of the greatest poleis built by Hellenes, that of Syrakousai. The Syrakosioi Hoplitai are equipped with Italo-Attic helmets, lamellate cuirasses, armoured pteryges, aspis shield and greaves, while they carry a longer spear than most hoplitai use and a short sword for close melee. Centuries of warfare against armies different from that found in Hellas proper have changed the Syrakosioi Hoplitai's equipment and tactics somewhat compared to their ‘mainland cousins’. They are still meant to pin enemy troops down for others to hack to pieces, but unlike other Hellenic spearmen they can fare relatively well in close melee, using their shortswords to stab quicky beneath their aspis shields. Historically, Syrakousai was among the greatest cities in the Hellenic world and who had for centuries waged wars against many enemies, mainly Carthage. Syrakousai had arguably the greatest army numerically among the Hellenic city-states and its Hoplitai formed the nucleus. The Syrakosioi Hoplitai were armed and fought as regular Hoplitai, although they adjusted themselves to the more free flowing and more organized forms of western infantry warfare (as in west of Greece). While in Greece proper it was largely hoplite against hoplite or against poor non-Hellenic infantry (the Thracians being the notable exception), in the western Mediterranean Syrakousai had to face Carthaginians in the west and Ligurian, Bruttian and Lucanian pirates and mercenaries from the north and also Illyrians, Gauls and other peoples who raided Sicily fairly regularly when they had a chance, which mostly meant whenever Syrakousai and Carthage were at war. Syrakosioi Hoplitai fought in a less dense formation than normal for Hoplitai, but with longer spears, which they wielded with underhand thrusts. This meant that they could pin down enemy infantry with a sort of "hedgehog shieldwall" for the heavy Epilektoi soldiers to break through the middle, and cavalry to hit the flanks. In addition they also dropped the xiphos sword in favour of a shortsword made for stabbing, which they used to stab beneath their aspis shields, a technique Syrakousai adopted alongside the hoplitai of Taras anes who were more adept at close combat melee than the soldiers fielded in Greece. Dorkim Shardanim (Sardinian Infantry) The Dorkim Shardanim (Sardinian Infantry) are drawn from the tribes of the Nuragi, a people who lived in Sardinia since an ancient time. They fight using a combination of spears and bow, and are prone to tribal skirmishing tactics; as such, their best attribute is to fight with bow at range and withdraw to safety behind stronger melee troops. Being tribal warriors, they are not prone to fighting in long engagements, and are more accustomed to hit-and-run tactics. They are unarmored, have only a buckler, and, as such, unlikely to stand long in a melee even if they were bolder. Historically, the Nuragi, or Nuraghics, were the ancient inhabitants of Sardinia. They constructed Nuraghe, stone towers, for which they are named, and lived in a tribal society. Their families organized into tribes, organized into larger clans, under the control of a patriarch, who was technically a subject of the Carthaginians. They persisted under Carthaginian rule for some decades, until the death of the last patriarch around approximately 210 BC, when the Nuragi, who had been steadily dissolving culturally due to importation of foreign goods and practices, were fully absorbed into the culture of the island's actual rulers. Category:Eleutheroi